Costco sells nearly 60 million of its rotisserie chickens each year. With a price point of $4.99, and juicy, delicious flavor, it’s no wonder it’s such a hot seller. Like any good Costco shopper that buys way more than they intended, many families will buy two rotisserie chickens at a time. Some may put theirs in the fridge and use it for a couple of days, or some may freeze their chicken to use later.
When you’ve got a leftover rotisserie chicken from Costco, there are many different methods you can use to reheat them. Using the oven, the airfryer, the stovetop or the microwave are all great options to reheating your chicken.
When reheating the chicken, you want to make sure to preserve the juiciness. It’s got to taste like you just brought it home from the store. The best way to do this is by reheating in the same manner it was originally cooked. For rotisserie chicken, that method is reheating it in the oven.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Place your chicken in a baking dish and add 1 cup of water.
Loosely cover the chicken with foil.
Put the dish in the oven and roast until the water is bubbly and chicken is heated through, or about 25 minutes.
To crisp the skin, increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Remove the foil and place the chicken back in the oven for 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and enjoy!
Tips
Adding water to the dish will help ensure the chicken stays moist while cooking. You want the water to come up about ¼ inch in the pan, so you may need to add more or less depending on what size your pan is.
Don’t skip the foil. This step also helps keep the chicken moist. If you leave it in the oven for too long without foil, the skin will get burnt and the meat will become leathery.
The pros of reheating a rotisserie chicken in the oven is that food is best reheated in the same method as it was originally cooked. The oven is the closest appliance to use for this method.
This method is also easy and requires minimal clean up. It’s easy to keep an eye on the chicken while it’s in the oven, and cooking it in the water is the best option to retain its moisture.
The Cons
The downside to reheating your chicken in the oven is that it takes a while. Preheating your oven and then waiting for the chicken to warm up is time consuming, so if you’re short on time, you would not want to use this option.
It may be hard to find a dish to fit your rotisserie chicken in. You want a shallow dish long and wide enough for the chicken.
Ultimately, using your oven to reheat your Costco chicken will certainly ensure that your chicken is moist, delicious chicken that tastes just like you brought it home from Costco.
Other Reheating Methods
Reheating in the Air Fryer
If you own an air fryer, you are probably already an expert at reheating things. This easy method will help ensure you’ve got a crispy skin all around your chicken.
Turn your air fryer to 350 degrees.
Remove your chicken from the packaging and place in the air fryer for 3-4 minutes.
Remove and enjoy.
Tips
You may need to cut the chicken into smaller pieces. Just be sure you place the pieces in a single layer so the air can circulate to get them all crispy.
The Pros
The pros to using your air fryer to reheat your Costco chicken is that you are going to get some very crispy skin! We all know the skin is the best part. If you’ve bought and reheated many rotisserie chickens, you know the skin gets soggy over time. This method will ensure you get a crispy skin all over the chicken and bring it back to its original self.
This method is also pretty quick, so if you are short on time, a good option.
The biggest downside to using your airfryer for reheating your Costco chicken is having to cut the chicken into pieces. Not only is this an additional step, but will also mess up a few more dishes, requiring more clean up.
Another con to using your air fryer is that not everyone has an air fryer. So this is not a method that is available to all cooks.
Reheating on the Stovetop
This method is great for chicken that’s off the bone. It’s a quick and easy way to reheat chicken for casseroles or barbeque.
Add 1 tbsp of butter or oil to the pan.
Remove the chicken from the bone and place in the pan.
Cook on medium heat until chicken is heated through, stirring occasionally.
Tips:
Make sure you are stirring your chicken enough. You don’t want to it be stuck to the pan.
Keep some water or chicken stock next to the pan and add a small amount (1 tsp or less) at a time to help keep the chicken moist.
Pros
The upside to reheating your Costco chicken on the stovetop is that this method is pretty fast. You can still retain the moisture using this method as well. Plus, the butter or oil gives it some extra flavor.
Cons
The fact that you have to cut up the chicken is a con for this method. It also messes up more dishes than some of the other methods.
If you keep the skin intact when cooking, you are likely not going to get the crispy skin back using this method.
Reheating in the Microwave
While you can leave your chicken in the Costco tray and reheat it in the microwave, you’ll miss out on the crispy skin and also run a greater risk of drying it out. The microwave should be your last resort in reheating your Costco chicken.
Pull the chicken off of the bones and place the meat on a microwave safe tray.
Add 1 tsp of water (this will help keep it moist)
Heat for 1-2 minutes or until warm.
Remove and add to your favorite casserole or top with bbq sauce.
The microwave also makes it super easy. Most people have access to a microwave, so this method can be used by most people.
The Cons
The microwave has the most chance of drying out your bird. Because you aren’t able to keep a constant eye on it, it’s hard to be sure of the moisture level during cooking.
You definitely won’t get any crispy skin if you use this method.
Conclusion
There are many easy ways to reheat a Costco rotisserie chicken, whether it’s pulling off a crispy leg to enjoy by itself, or using the pulled chicken in a casserole for an easy weeknight dinner.
While the oven is your best bet for recreating a warm, buttery, delicious chicken that tastes just like you walked out of the store, there are other fast and convenient ways to reheat your chicken.
